Strollerderby : daddy blogger

Open Letter of the Month: Dear PR People...

Kelly Mills — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 22:35:00 GMT

Greetings PR people!

First, let me say I'm so glad you love the site, I appreciate that compliment. And I know your job can't be all easy, sending e-mails to bloggers and not knowing if you will be well-received or if some rogue is gonna mock the product or event you are pitching, though I suppose publicity is publicity. So let me just say a couple things and you can take or leave it, but I do mean this kindly.

First, I should warn you that I'm not such a fan of receiving e-mails that start, "Dear Mommy Blogger." I know many are fine with that term, but even my kid doesn't call me mommy (I'm "mama") so there you go. And believe it or not, we actually have real live men working here who have spawned children, and while some of them are better mothers than I'll ever be, it might behoove you to address your stuff using the more inclusive "parent blogger" or even (gasp) the name of our blog.

Same goes for products you think are a "mother's best friend" or "a boon to moms everywhere" or whatever. We like the dads here, and we'd like to think dads everywhere are participating in childrearing. Sticking with just the moms is limiting your market. Also, telling us your product was invented by a mom or moms is fine, but you should know that does not put you in the minority at this point, so it's kinda lost the selling power.

Now, some parent bloggers like it when you demonstrate you read the blog by mentioning a post or two. I don't care so much about that myself, but if you do plan to do this, double check your e-mail to avoid sending something that literally says "I like your post on x" because it wouldn't be the first time someone forgot to fill in the blank and it makes us all feel silly. The faux-friendly tone sometimes is a little grating too: I like it when you get to the point without pretending we snuggle each other. And it should probably go without saying that a somewhat sexist riff on a cleaning product or stereotyped site mommies will adore or a kit for clueless dads is probably not going to be well-received. I mean, send us things by all means, but some of this is just fair game for us.

Finally, it's great that Gwyneth Paltrow uses your solid gold rattle or JLo is gaga over your high thread count wipes, but that is not such a selling point for me personally. All it says to me is that you sent out free stuff to celebrities, and don't they already have enough free stuff? Now, if you told me you donated a hundred of whatever you are pitching to needy parents, that might sway me. Celebs? Not so much.

Anyhow, have a great day, and I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Kelly

Strollerderby Playdate: I've Got a New(sy) Guy

Kelly Mills — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 12:01:00 GMT

Last week "Just wondrin" asked how I find the folks I playdate with: Do I surf them or are they friends or what? Well, I can report I have very few friends, so I find these dates the old-fashioned way. You know, trolloping all over the web, draping myself on other people's blogrolls, searching for profanity, and hoping to meet that elusive soulmate. Usually I look for love ~~in all the wrong places, sorry, just can't resist a musical interlude~~ on the down-home blogs with the cheap templates and the blurry kid photos and the funny, funny parents. This week my new obsession has a glossy blog, but he also has a great take on parent-y things.

Today I'm stalking I, Breeder. How come? He's hilarious, and he 'hi-ya' chops the stupidity of the day. He turns a phrase in a kickass way that makes me forget the dearth of f-bombs (usually a requirement in my playdates) and he confirmed my theory that all straight dads (including Mike and my own better half) have a slightly porno crush on Laurie Berkner. So I'm inviting him to a playdate and hoping we will get the chance to mock stuff and wax smarty-pants and that I'll be able to throw out enough tech phrases to keep from sounding like a total ass, though the odds of that are never good. Hi Breeder! S'up, baby?

Strollerderby Playdate: Addicted to Moms

Mike Adamick (Cry It Out!) — Wed, 02 May 2007 11:05:00 GMT

Almost 28 days later, I'm still addicted. To blogs. Good blogs. Mom blogs. A few weeks ago I told you about a few great parenting blogs that I have to check out every day. Needless to say, that's not all. I promised back then that I'd give you more, so here goes:

First up, Radioactive Girl -- who I swear writes about cupcakes just to taunt me. And then runs, runs like crazy.

Jenny Blackburn is Absolutely Bananas -- and I mean that in a really, reallly good way. She also blogs here.

If you haven't checked out A Child is Born, you don't know what you're missing. And you're dumb. I got hooked after reading this and feeling, somehow, like she knew my family.

It's a little difficult to write about DooDaddy in a post about moms -- but I do check him out every day and you should too. So get on it, slacker!

And if you've got a moment, stop over and see the other Radioactive Girl -- a kick-ass mom who needs more than a little support in the next few days.

And no, that's not all. Thankfully there are a ton more hot mommies out there to keep me occupied. Watch for more next week.

Stay at Home Dads Shunned at PlayGroup? Lucky Guys.

Rachael Brownell (Redsy) — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 16:02:00 GMT

Daddy Blogger Doodaddy has a thought-provoking post about the difficulties of creating a play group and community when one is a stay-at-home-dad. He sadly recounts a discussion with a woman at the park who chirpily announces her victoriously busy schedule full of dates and groups and outings. He admits to having only one park buddy, who met his wife previously and who was therefore grandfathered in. The problem here appears to be a perception on his part that if he weren't carrying around an extra piece of equipment, he'd be all in. I sympathize with his plight, but not because he's a dad. As a fellow playgroup reject (albeit by choice), I can understand his frustration.

Plenty of clear-thinking parents do not heart play groups or get togethers, or Gymboree, or nothin, which brings us back to the necessity of cocktail playdates. Otherwise, all that standing around jawing about little Billy's diapering is just dull dull dull. I didn't enjoy that talk before kids, and I sure don't like it now. I like what many Babble-readers like: political discussions, talk of books, philosophy, relationships, shoes, and sometimes sometimes my life as a parent, but as the exception rather than the rule, and not in the middle of a boring living room while munching cheese and crackers. Doodaddy may find that if he were invited to join the club, he wouldn't really enjoy it that much anyway. Friends are hard to find. Good friends even harder. If he's willing to follow some simple playdate rules, he can come over to my house any old time.